Trump to give more weapons to Ukraine, censures 'very nice' Putin

Al Mayadeen

4 days ago

US President Donald Trump confirmed on Tuesday that he had approved the delivery of additional defensive weapons to Ukraine and is weighing new sanctions against Russia, expressing frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin over the worsening toll of the war.
Speaking during a Cabinet meeting at the White House, Trump said that while he had once believed in diplomacy with Putin, recent battlefield developments and rising casualties have left him disillusioned.
'I'm not happy with Putin. I can tell you that much right now,' Trump said, pointing to the thousands of Russian and Ukrainian soldiers killed during the war. 'We get a lot of bullsh*t thrown at us by Putin. … He's very nice all the time, but it turns out to be meaningless,' he added.
Trump had campaigned on a promise to end the war in Ukraine within a day. That promise, however, remains unfulfilled as efforts by his administration to broker a peace agreement have stalled.
Trump also said he is seriously reviewing a bipartisan Senate bill that proposes sweeping sanctions on Russia. The legislation, led by Republican Senator Lindsey Graham and Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal, would impose steep penalties not only on Russia but also on nations continuing to trade with Moscow.
The proposed bill includes 500% tariffs on Russian oil, gas, uranium, and other exports, which aims to further isolate Russia economically and punish those bypassing Western sanctions. 'I'm looking at it very strongly,' Trump said regarding the legislation.
Trump confirmed that he had formally approved a new package of weapons for Ukraine, aimed at helping Kiev counter intensifying Russian military pressure.
'We're sending some defensive weapons to Ukraine, and I've approved that,' he said, one day after signaling the administration's intent to step up material support for Ukrainian forces.
His remarks follow reports of a temporary Pentagon pause in critical military aid shipments, which had sparked alarm in Kiev. Ukrainian officials warned last week that delays in US deliveries risked leaving their forces vulnerable amid escalating Russian airstrikes and advances on the eastern front.
Seated next to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth during the briefing, Trump was asked who had authorized the weapons pause. He deflected the question, responding: 'I don't know. Why don't you tell me?'
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warned that any shipments containing weapons for Ukraine would be considered legitimate military targets by Moscow.
The Russian Foreign Ministry further stated that NATO member states were "playing with fire" by continuing to supply arms to Ukraine, asserting that increasing Western arms deliveries to Ukraine undermine negotiations and escalate tensions.
Lavrov added that the US and NATO are not merely supplying weapons but are also directly involved in the war through training Ukrainian personnel in countries including the UK, Germany, and Italy.
Meanwhile, Trump's special envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, is expected to meet with Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov at an international assistance conference in Rome. This will be followed by additional meetings in Kiev over the coming week, the report said.Separately, reports from Politico indicate that US military deliveries to Kiev may resume following a series of meetings in Italy and Ukraine. The recent pause in support was attributed to the Pentagon's standard review of all military aid provided by the US globally, according to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.
On July 2, White House spokesperson Anna Kelly confirmed the suspension of certain supplies, including ammunition and anti-aircraft missiles, citing the need to prioritize "America's interests." Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov responded by saying that a reduction in arms deliveries to Ukraine would end the war sooner.